President Barack Obama once again showed his tech-savvy side when the Twitter handle @WhiteHouse broadcast on Periscope Pope Francis' arrival in Washington D.C. on Sept. 22. Over 11,000 people watched the event through the online platform.
Periscope, a live streaming app, allows users to snap their cameras at momentous events for the entire online world to witness real-time.
The Twitter-owned app, which has more than 10 million users, got the attention of the White House, which tested it for the first time during the papal visit. The Pontiff's arrival was streamed as he was coming down from his plane from Cuba.
Fans of Pope Francis are encouraged to tweet with the hashtag #PopeInPhilly. A special graphic has also been made for the occasion.
The Pope will be in the U.S. for six days to sympathize with the poor and tackle the nation's most significant economic, social, and political matters.
His Holiness was welcomed by President Obama, First Lady Michelle Obama and their children, along with Vice President Joe Biden and his family at Joint Base Andrews outside Washington.
The flags of the U.S. and Vatican flapped from the cockpit windows of the Pope's chartered jet as it rolled to a stop near a line of clergy in red and black vestments and a group of local children from Catholic schools.
Both heads of state are avid fans of social media—tools that have helped them reach out to both the young and old alike.
Obama's penchant for social media is believed to have helped him get elected in 2008. These social media accounts often reveal a more personal side to the President. He shares his love for music, basketball, The Godfather movies, and family bonding activities through his accounts. People would even know if the President was stuck in traffic, thanks to his day-to-day updates.
Meanwhile, Catholics easily get updates of their own from the Pope during his activities through his @Pontiflex Twitter account, which has over 7.3 million followers. He also uses Google Hangouts and calls the Internet a gift from God. He, however, auctioned his iPad for charity in April.
